Machine for processing waste fibers



Oct. 11, 1949. c. w. BARNES ETAL IACHINE FOR PKOCESSING WASTE FIBERS 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed larch 31, 1948 CHARL l E W. BARNES JOHN W. COLE ATTORNEY.

Oct. 11, 1949. c. w. BARNES ETAL MACHINE FOR PROCESSING WASTE FIBERS 9 Shoots-Sheet 2 Filed latch 31, 1948 JWWM: CHAQL\E W. bAQNE' JOHN W. COLE.

Oct. 11, 1949.

"C. W- BARNES ETAL MACHINE FOR PROCESSING WASTE FIBERS 9 Sheets-Shut 3 Filed March 31. 1948 how Q Elma/Mom:

CHAQLJE W. DARNES .JQHN W. COLE can n8 omu nu 00M hNm 8n mw man 25 Oct. 11, 1949. c. w. BARNES EI'AL MACHINE FOR PROCESSING IASTET'IBERS 9 Sheets-Shoot 4 Filed March 31, 1948 CHMZUE. W. BARNES JOHN W. 01.12

Oct. 11, 1949. c. WJARNES ETAL MACHINE FOR PROCESSING WASTE FIBERS Filed Han-6h :51, 1948 +9 Sheets-Sheet 5 WNW. RWL W; ..A0 W5C z WW w q E av R H 2m OOOOODOOOOOQDOOOOOOOOUOO0000 OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOO c. w. ARNES v E: AL 2,484,604

MACHINE FOR PROCESSING WASTE FIBERS 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 w M a W W m m #3 F w 3 m w 3 a J w w w E 5w m N I. s on? M J M c won III'IHHIIHIIIHHHHH" .YI i I I I I Oct. 11, 1949.

Filed March 31, 1948 c. W.,BARNES ETAL MACHINE FOR PROCESSING WASTE FIBERS Oct. 11, 1949.

9 Shuts-Sheet 7 Filed March 31; 1948 Oct. 11, 1949.

C. W. BARNES ETAL MACHINE FOR PROCESSING WASTE FIBERS 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed March 31, 1948 CHARLIE W. BARNES JOHN w. com:

9 Sheets-Sheet 9 w s 0 7% W m w 9 W m E I l-=55 M m a 4 :w E w 4 x u 0 N 2 N HHHHH M r/// c Iv E m 3 Oct. 11, 1949.

c. w. BARNES ET AL MACHINE FOR PROCESSING WASTE FIBERS Filed March 31, 1948 @atented 11, 194

MACHINE FOR PROCESSING WASTE F Application March 31, 1948, Serial No. 18,244

9 Bias, 1

This invention relates to textile machinery and more especially to a waste reducing machine through which cotton waste, or the like, accumulated during the operation of various other textile machines is passed so that the fibres may be re-used.

Waste machines for textile fibres have one or more spiked drums or heaters for breaking up and shredding the waste, and heretofore these machines have had various types of blowers or suction equipment for removing dirt and other foreign matter from the shredded fibres, and to assist in laying the shredded fibres on a suitable conveyor to remove the same from the machine. Such machines are not only used to shred waste, in which foreign matter and dirt is existent, but are also used for shredding clean waste, inasmuch as the air currents created by the blowers or fans are necessary to lay the fibres. There are other types of these machines which do not use suction or blower fans and these machines have cylindrical screens having perforated covers thereover which communicate with atmospheric pressure to settle the fibres, and the screen, in turn, assists in the laying of the fibres.

It is an object of this invention to provide a waste machine for textile fibres having the usual beater for shredding the waste and also having a driven cylindrical screen with an imperforate cover against which the shredded waste is blown, through the action of the heater, and having a driven cylindrical perforated drum disposed on the opposite side thereof from the beater, which permits the blast of air from the beater to pass through the cylindrical screen and outwardly through the perforations in the perforated drum. The cylindrical screen, in cooperation with the perforated drum communicates with atmospheric pressure to settle the fibres as well as assisting in the laying of the fibres in web form on conveying means associated therewith.

This machine is capable of handling all kinds Figure 2-A is an enlarged elevation of the right-hand half of Figure 1 and is an extension of Figure 2;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the feed or front end of the machine looking at the top of Figure 2';

Figure B-A is a top plan view of the structure shown in Figure 2-A and is an extension of Figure 3;

Figure 4 is an elevation of the opposite side of the machine, as observed in Figure 2;

Figure 4-A is an elevation of the opposite side of the machine as observed in Figure 2-A showing the discharge or rear end of the machine;

Figure 5 is an elevation of the feed or front end of the machine and looking from the lefthand side of Figure 2 to the right;

Figure 6 is a sectional plan view taken substantially along the line 66 in Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view on a smaller scale and taken substantially along the line l'! in Figure 5 but showing the various parts schematically, due to the limited scale at which the drawing had to be made;

Figure 8 is a greatly enlarged vertical sectional view of the upper right-hand portion of Figure 7 showing portions of the cylindrical screen, the perforated drum, and the discharge conveyor associated therewith;

Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 9-9 in Figure 1;

Figure 10 is a part elevation, with parts in section, taken substantially along the line l0-l0 in Figure 4-A.

Referring more specifically to the drawings the numeral ill indicates a right-hand vertical side frame member and the numeral it indicates a left-hand vertical side frame member. These vertical side frame members ill and II have, spanning the distance therebetween, adjacent the front or feed end of the machine, a horizontally disposed plate it which is welded at each end thereof to the proximate surfaces of the vertical frame members it and ii. The vertical side frame members it and it also have, spanning the distance therebetween, at the upper edges thereof, horizontally disposed plates l4 and N which are also welded, at each end thereof, to

the vertically disposed side frame members l0 members I and I to the shouldered shafts l6. The vertical side frame members l0 and ll also have, extending longitudinally thereof, and disposed at the bottom edge thereof. angle bars and 2|, respectively, which are secured to the vertical side frame members Ill and II, by any suitable means such as by tack welding.

The horizontally disposed transverse plate l3 has, welded thereon and extending forwardly therefrom, horizontally disposed channel bars 23 and 24 which are disposed a substantial distance apart from each other and have horizontally disposed therebetween an apron feed conveyor 25 comprising transverse spaced slats 26 which are secured at each end to fiat belts 21 and these fiat belts 21 are mounted at the feeding end of the machine on pulleys 30. The pulleys 30 are fixedly mounted on a transverse shaft 3| which is rotatably mounted at each end in bearing blocks 32 each of which extends rearwardly and has an adjustment slot 33 therein which is penetrated by a screw 34 to thus secure each of the bearing blocks 32 to the front ends of the horizontally disposed channel bars 23 and 24.

. The bearing blocks 32 are also threadably pene trated at their rear ends, adjacent the adjustment slots 33, by adjustment screws 35, the heads of which are adapted to engage vertically disposed angle clips 36, these angle clips 36 each being welded to the remote vertical surfaces of the horizontally disposed channel bars 23 and 24. The bearing blocks 32 are also supported and guided, at their lower edges, by horizontally disposed angle clips 31 which are also welded to the remote vertical surfaces of the horizontally disposed channel bars 23 and 24.

I The belts 21, at the discharge end ofthe feed conveyor 25, are mounted on pulleys 40 which are fixedly mounted on a transverse shaft 4|. This transverse shaft 4| slidably penetrates the vertical surface of the horizontally disposed channel bar 23, at the right-hand side of the machine,

1 and is rotatably mounted in an outwardly projecting portion 42 of a bearing block housing 43 (Figure 3).

. The feed conveyor 25 is adapted to move textile waste, such as, pieces of roving R, which are generally removed from skewers of a roving frame, and loose pieces of cotton waste W, or the like, to feed the same into the machine.

The shaft 4| extends outwardly beyond the bearing block housing 43 and has fixedly mounted thereon a sprocket wheel 44. The sprocket wheel 44 has mounted thereon a sprocket chain 45 which extends upwardly and to the right in Figure 3 and is mounted on a sprocket wheel 46. The shaft 4|, which has heretofore been described as having pulleys 40 mounted thereon, penetrates the web of the horizontally disposed channel bar 24, at the left-hand side of the machine, and is rotatably mounted in an outwardly extending portion 52, of a bearing block housing 53. The sprocket wheel 46, at the'right-hand side of the machine, as observed in Figure 5, is fixedly mounted on a transverse shaft 41 which extends outwardly and has fixedly mounted thereon a gear wheel 50. The gear wheel 50, as observed in Figure 2, engages a pinion 55 disposed therebelow and being fixedly mounted on a transverse shaft 54. This shaft 54 has horizontal sliding movement, and is rotatably mounted, in bearing pivotally mounted thereon a forked strap iron lever bar 62 which extends downwardly in Figure 6 and is pivotally mounted on the restricted lower end of a vertically disposed stub shaft 63. This stub shaft 63 extends upwardly from the sub stantially horizontally disposed bar 62 and is secured at its upper end to the lower surface of the horizontally disposed transverse plate |3, by any suitable means such as welding. The horizontally disposed strap iron lever bar 62 is twisted, or spiraled, adjacent the vertically disposed stub shaft 63 and extends towards the feed end of the machine and is slidably penetrated by a trans-- verse shipper rod 64. This shipper rod 64 has, fixedly mounted thereon, collars 65 and 66 which blocks 56 and 51 which are secured to the vertical side frame members I0 and II, respectively, by any suitable means such as screws 56 and 59, respectively. This shaft 54 penetrates the vertical are disposed each side of the bar 62 so that when theshipper rod 64 is moved, endwise, the lever bar 62 moves about its pivot point 63 and thus moves the bearing block 60 in the opposite direction from which the shipper rod 64 is moved.

When the bearing block 60 is moved from right to left or from left to right, as the case may be, this causes the shaft 54 to move likewise by collars 61 disposed each side of the bearing block 60 and being fixedly mounted on the shaft 54. That portion of the shaft 54 which extends to the left in Figures 5 and 6 has fixedly mounted thereon spaced miter gears 10 and H which are adapted to be engaged by a miter gear 13, one at a time. The miter gear 13 is fixedly mounted on a rearwardly extending shaft 14 to be hereinafter described.

The shipper rod 64 extends outwardly through the vertical side frame member "I, in which it has horizontal sliding movement and has a forwardly projecting handle portion 15 integral therewith. The shipper rod 64 also has coupled thereto, as at 16, another shipper rod 11 which has horizontal sliding movement in the vertical side frame member I and also has integral'therewith a forwardly projecting handle portion 16.

The longitudinally extending shaft 14 is rotatably mounted, near its front end, in a bearing block- (Figure 3) which has a portion 82 extending inwardly therefrom towards the vertical side frame member I! and this portion 82 has fixedly mounted therein a stub shaft 83 which is fixedly mounted, at its other end, in a bearing block 84 and this bearing block 84 is fixedly secured to the vertical side frame member II, by any suitable means such as screws 86; The shaft .14 extends rearwardly and is rotatably mounted in a bearing block 90 (Figures 3-A and 4-A) having a portion 9| integral therewith which extends inwardly and is fixedly mounted on a stub shaft 92 which is fixedly mounted, at its other end, in a bearing block 93 secured to the vertical side frame member II, by any suitable means such as screws 94 (Figure 3-A).

The shaft 14 extends rearwardly, beyond the bearing block 90, and has fixedly mounted thereon a worm gear 9|a which is disposed within a substantially circular housing 92a and this housing 9211 also has mounted therein a transverse worm or spiral gear 93a which is fixedly mounted on a 75 shaft 94a, and thisspiral gear 93a engages the worm gear Ia. The shaft 940: is rotatably mounted in the lower portion of the gear housing 92a and extends outwardly, away from the vertical side frame member I I, in Figures 3-A and 4-12,

and has fixedly mounted thereon a pulley 91 on which the lower end of a fiat belt I00 is mounted. The gear housing 92a is secured, by any suitable means such as screws 38, to an L-shaped bracket 90 welded to the vertical side frame member II.

The belt I00 extends upwardly and is mounted, at its upper end, on a pulley 220 (Figures 3 and a). The pulley 220 is fixedly mounted on one end of a shaft 203 and this shaft 203 extends through a conventional beater drum 200. The heater drum 200 has teeth or spikes 20I extending outwardly from the periphery of the same. This beater drum 200 is fixedly mounted on the shaft 203 which extends outwardly from each side of the vertical side frame members It and II and is rotatably mounted in bearing blocks 200 which are secured, by any suitable means such as screws 205, to longitudinally extending angle bars 20I and 200. The longitudinally extending angle bars 202 and 200 are welded to the vertical side frame members It and II, respectively. The longitudinally extending angle bars 202 and 260 extend toward the feeding end of the machine and the bearing block housings 03 and 53 are securely mounted on the same by screws ZIII and 2! I, respectively (Figures 2 and a). The shaft 203-has, fixedly mounted on the right-hand end thereof, a pulley 22L pulley 22I has mounted thereon one end of a flat belt 223 which extends rearwardly, towards the discharge end of the machine, and ismountecl at its other end, one pulley IOI which is fixedly mounted on one end of a shaft I02 (Figures 2-A and 3-A.

The shaft I02 extends crosswise of the machine and is rotatably mounted, at the righthand side of the machine, in a bearing block I03 which is secured, by any suitable means such as screws I04, to a horizontally disposed angle bar I05. This horizontally disposed angle bar I05 extends longitudinally of the machine and is welded to the vertical side frame member I0. The shaft I02 extends into the machine and has fixedly mounted thereon a second conventional beater drum I01 beneath which the cotton fibers pass in the operation of this machine. This beater drum is identical to the conventional beater drum 200 and is provided with teeth or spikes I00 which tear the cotton waste into shreds as it is fed to the same in a manner to be later described. The shaft I02 extends outwardly through the vertical side frame member II and is rotatably mounted in a bearing block H2 which is secured, by any suitable means such as screws I I3, to a longitudinally extending angle bar II I welded to the vertical side frame member II. The shaft I02 extends outwardly beyond the bearin block H2 and has, fixedly mounted thereon, a V-pulley I I5 which has mountd thereon a plurality of V-belts I I6 which extend downwardly and rearwardly, at an angle, and are mounted at their lower ends on a V-pulley I20. The V-pulley I20 is fixedly mounted on a shaft IZI extending from an electric motor I22 having electric wires I23 and I24 extending thereto from a suitable source of electrical energy, not shown.

Thus, rotation is transmitted from the electric motor I22 to the beater drum I02 to rotate the same in a counter-clockwise direction, as observed in Figure 7, which in turn transmits rotation to the beater drum 200 and this beater drum 200, being fixedly mounted on the shaft 203, causes the shaft 203 to transmit rotation to the a pulley 220 and the belt I00 transmits rotation The.

from the pulley 220 to the pulley 91.

This causes the shaft 14 and its miter gear 13 to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction, as observed in Figure 5, to thus impart rotation to the transverse shaft 54. When the miter gear I0 is engaged by the gear I3, as observed in Figures 5 and 6, the apron conveyor 25 moves in a reverse direction caused by counter-clockwise rotation of the gear wheel 50, in Figure 2. -However, the apron conveyor 25 is not normally moving in a reverse direction, but this is done occasionally to prevent the cotton waste from being fed into rollers, to be later described, at too fast a speed for the machine.

It may be observed in Figures 5 and 6 that the shipper rod 64 has a pin I30 extending therethrough which is adapted to engage three vertical slots I32 in a downwardly projecting flange of a horizontally disposed angle bar I33 welded to the lower surface of the transverse plate I3. These slots I32 are adapted to be engaged, one at a time, by the pin I30 by partially rotating either one of the handles I5 or I0, in a counterclockwise direction in Figure 2, to thus lock the shipper lever '66 in the desired position. The center slot I32 in the angle bar I33 is engaged by the pin- I30 when it is desired that the feeding apron conveyor 25 shall not be in operation, although the beaters 200 and I01 continue to rotate, or, in other words, the centrally located slot I32 is for the purpose of placing the shipper rod 64 in a neutral position, at which time both of the miter gears I0 and II are out of engagement with the rotating miter gear 13.

Now, when it is desired to feed the cotton waste into the machine, along the apron conveyor 25, the handle I5 may be grasped and moved in a clockwise direction, in Figure 2, to thus remove the pin I30 from that slot I32 which is furthest to the left in Figures 5 and 6 and the shipper rod 64 may then be moved from left to right in Figure 6 to thus move the shaft 54 from right to left in Figure 6 and to move the miter gear II into engagement with the miter gear I3, as shown in Figure 3, and the handle I5 of the shipper rod 54 is then partially rotated in a counterclockwise direction to engage the pin I30 in that slot I32 which is furthest to the right, as observed in Figures 5 and 6. Thus, rotation is transmitted from the miter gear I3, on the shaft I4, to the shaft 54 to rotate the same in a counterclockwise direction and to thus impart rotation to the gear 50 in a clockwise direction which, in turn, transmits rotation to the shaft M in a clockwise direction, as observed in Figure 2, to move the upper reach of the conveyor 25 from left to right in Figures 2 and 3.

The shaft 41 is rotatably mounted in a lower bearing block I40 (Figure 2) which is secured in and extends outwardly from the bearing block housing 23. This shaft 3'1 has integral'therewith a fluted feed roll I4I (Figure 7) which extends across the machine and has integral therewith a restricted portion I42 which is rotatably mounted in. a lower bearing block I43 secured in the bearing housing 53. Fixedly mounted on the shaft 41, between the bearing block I40 and the sprocket wheel 46, is a. pinion I50 which engages a pinion I52 fixedly mounted on a shaft I53. The shaft I53 is rotatably mounted in an upper bearing block I54, mounted for vertical sliding movement in the bearing block housing vertical sliding movement in the bearing block housing 53. The fluted roll I60 engages a fluted roll I65 disposed therebelow (Figure 7) and this fluted roll I65 is rotatably mounted at its righthand end, as observed in Figure 5, in a lower bearing block I66 fixedly mounted in the bearing block housing 43 (Figure 2). The left-hand end of; the fluted roll I65 has integral therewith a shaft I61 which is rotatably mounted in a lower bearing block I10 fixedly mounted inthe housing 53 (Figures 4 and 5).

The shaft I61 extends outwardly beyond the lower bearing block I and has fixedly mounted thereon a pinion I65 (Figure 4) which engages a pinion I fixedly mounted on a shaft I16 which is rotatably mounted in an upper bearing block I11 which has vertical sliding movement in the bearing blockhousing 53. The shaft I16 has integral therewith a fluted roll I80 (Figure 3) which engages the lower fluted roll MI and this fluted roll I80 has a shaft I8I integral therewith which is rotatably mounted in an upper bearing block I82 (Figure 3) which has vertical sliding movement in the bearing block housing 43. The bearing blocks I54 and I82 are engaged at their upper surfaces by compression springs I85 which extend upwardly and engage a plate I86 secured to the upper end of the bearing block housing 43, by any suitable means such as screws I81. Thus, the bearing blocks I54 and I82 are urged downwardly against the lower bearing blocks I40 and I66 to thus urge the right-hand ends of the fluted rolls I60 and I80 downwardly towards the fluted rolls I65 and MI, respectively.

The bearing blocks I62 and I11 are engaged, at their upper surfaces, by compression springs I90 which extend upwardly and engage a horizontally disposed plate I! secured to the upper end of the bearing block housing 53, by any suitable means such as screws I92. Thus, the springs I90 urge the bearing blocks I52 and I11 downwardly towards the bearing blocks I10 and I43, respectively, to thus urge the left-hand ends of the fluted rolls I60 and I80, respectively, downwardly towards the fluted rolls I65 and I 4|, respectively. I

Inasmuch as the rolls I60 and I80 rotate in a counterclockwise direction, as the feed conveyor feeds the cotton waste W, the pieces of roving R, and the like towards the same, and

the rolls I65 and MI rotate in a blockwise direction, in Figure 7, the cotton waste is seized by these rollers-and fed to the beater drum 200.

The drum 200 is surmounted by a cover 225 which is hinged, as at 226, to the top surface of the transverse plate I4, so that the cover may be opened for inspection. 'In order that excess air may be prevented from entering the area in which the beater drum 200 is disposed, the cover 225 has a leather apron secured to that edge which is adjacent the roll I80, by any suitable means such as screws 230, and this leather apron 221 engages, the upper roll I80. There is engaging the lower roll I4I a similar leather apron 23I which is secured to and extends upwardly from a curved pan 233 (Figure 7) which is welded at each side thereof to the inner walls of the vertically disposed side frame members I0 and II. As the cotton waste W passes between the feed rolls I65 and I60 and from between the feed rolls MI and I80, the cotton waste is shredded by the beater drum 200 and carried downwardly between the exterior of the beater drum 200 and the interior of the curved pan 233 towards the 1 rear of the machine. It may be observed, in Figure 3, that the hinged side of the cover 225 has secured thereto, by any suitable means such as screws 235, a leather apron 236 which is secured by screws 231 .to the upper surface of the transverse plate I4 to thus prevent air from entering the area in which the beater drum 200 is disposed.

Rearwardly and closely adjacent the lower portion of the beater drum 200 is a transverse baffle plate 240 (Figure '7) which'has downturned ears 24I at each end thereof which have adjustment slots 242 therein penetrated by screws 243 to thus permit adjustment of the bafiie plate 240 relative to the beater drum 200.

This baffle plate 240 serves to remove any lumps of shredded cotton waste which may cling to the teeth 20I of the beater drum 200. The baffle plate 240 has secured to the upper surface thereof a leather apron 245 which engages a downwardly projecting curved plate 246 which is welded at its upper end adjacent the front edge of the horizontally disposed plate I4 and is welded at each end thereof to the vertical side frame members I0 and II. After the cotton waste has been shredded by the spikes or teeth 20I on the first beater drum 200, the cotton waste W is carried by the air blast created by the revolving beater, which rotates about 800 R. P. M. depending on the type of waste being shredded, and passes along the curved plate 223 and onto an inclined apron conveyor broadly designated at 250. The rearmost end, or, the discharge end of the curved plate 223 is adjacent the conveyor 250 and has secured to the lower surface thereof, by any suitable means such as screws 25I, a leather apron 252 which is adapted to engage the conveyor 250.

The apron conveyor 250 is of similar construction to the feed conveyor 25 and is mounted at its lower end on pulleys 253 which are fixedly mounted on a transverse shaft 254. The shaft 254 is'rotatably mounted in adjustable bearing blocks 255, which are identical to the bearing blocks 32, of the feeding conveyor 25. The bearing blocks 255 are secured, by any suitable means such as screws 251, to the remote sides of the vertical side frame members I0 and I I. The conveyor 250 extends upwardly and is mounted, at its upper end, on pulleys 260 (Figure 7) which are fixedly mounted on a transverse shaft 26I which extends outwardly from each side of the machine and is rotatably mounted in portions 262 and 263 of bearing block housings 264 and 265, respectively, which are secured on the horizontally disposed angle bars I05 and H4, by any suitable means such as screws 261. The shaft 26I extends outwardly beyond the bearing block 265, which is mounted on the horizontally disposed angle bar I05, and has sprocket wheels 210 and 2H fixedly mounted thereon (Figures 2-A and 3-A).

The sprocket wheel 210 has, mounted thereon, a sprocket chain 213 (Figures 1 and 2-A) which extends towards the feed end of the machine and is mounted at its other end on a sprocket wheel 215. The sprocket wheel 215 is rotatably mounted on a stub shaft 216 which, as may be observed in Figure 9, has fixedly mounted thereon a collar 280 which prevents endwise movement of the sprocket wheel 215. The stub shaft 216 also has a shoulder 28I integral therewith against essence which a hub 283 of the sprocket wheel 2'i5-is adapted to rotate. The shoulder 28H has, ex= tending inwardly therefrom, in Figure 9, a restricted threaded portion 285 on which a nut set is threadably mounted and this threaded portion penetrates an adjustment slot 281 in an an= gularly disposed bracket 290 and the nut 233 secures the stud 216 to the bracket 290. The bracket 299 has a downwardly projecting portion 29f integral therewith having an adjustment slot 288 therein which is penetrated by a bolt 29% which also penetrates the vertical side frame member ID to thus secure the bracket we to the vertical side frame member it. The bracket 293 also has an upwardly projecting portion 295 which engages a bearing block 291, on its outer end, and is also loosely mounted on a shaft 300 rotatably mounted in the bearing block 291.

The bearing block 291 is fixedly mounted on the vertical side frame member ill, by any suitable means such as screws 30 I. The shaft 3% extends outwardly from the bearing block 291] and has, fixedly mounted thereon, a helical gear 303 which engages a helical pinion 305 disposed therebelow and which is fixedly mounted on the hub portion 283 of the sprocket wheel 215. The shaft 300 extends across the machine and has fixedly mounted thereon, a cylindrical screen 3|!) which is disposed between the vertical side frame members l and H. The cylindrical screen and is identical to a second cylindrical screen add to be later described in detail.

The shaft 300 extends outwardly through the vertical side frame member II and is rotatably mounted in a bearing block 3 which is secured, by any suitable means such as screws 3l2, to the vertical side frame member ll (Figure 3-A). The shaft 300 extends outwardly beyond the bearing block 3 and has, fixedly mounted thereon, (Figures 3-A and 4-A) a sprocket wheel 3I5 having a sprocket chain 3l6 mounted thereon which extends rearwardly, towards the discharge end of the machine, and is mounted on a sprocket wheel 3 I! which is fixedly mounted on a transverse shaft BIB.

The shaft 318 is rotatably mounted in a bearing block 320 which is secured, by any suitable means such as screws 32L to the vertical side frame member II. The shaft 3l8 extends through the vertical side frame members II and I0 and is rotatably mounted at its other end in a bearing block 325 which is secured. by any suitable means such as screws 328, to the vertical side frame member [0. Disposed between the side frame members I 0 and H. and being fixedly mounted on the transverse shaft 3l8, in close proximity to the screen 3), is a perforated drum 321. which is identical to a perforated drum 451 disposed ad acent the discharge end of the machine and which will be later described in detail.

The cylindrical screen 3| I] is surmounted by an imperforate cover 332 which is hingedly mounted, as at 333, adjacent the rear edge of the horizontally disposed transverse plate l4, for inspection purposes. It may be observed in Figure 2-A that the rear end of the cover 332 rests on the upper edges of the vertical side frame members I0 and il and is in close proximity to the periphery of the perforated drum 321' to thus minimize the ingress or egress of air in the ma-' chine, other than through the perforations in the drum 321. The rotation of the beater drum 200 creates a blast of airtowards the conveyor 250 and this blast of air causes the loose fibers to be blown therefrom against the cylindrical screen 3M and, inasmuch as the cylindrical screen 313 rotates in a counter-clock direction in Figure l, the screen 866 assists in laying the fibres on the upper reach of the apron conveyor 255 in the form of a web W-i (Figure 7) while the preponderance of air escapes through the perforations in the drum 821, and to the exterior of the machine, since the drum 321 is mounted in an opening in the top of the cover for the machine.

Disposed rearwardly and closely adjacent to the upper portion of the perforated drum 322 is one edge of a leather apron 360. This apron 343 extends rearwardly, towards the discharge end of the machine and is secured, by any suitable means such as screws 34!, to the front end of a second beater d cover 342 which is similar to the first beater drum cover 225 and surmounts the second beater drum I01. This leather apron 343 has secured to the upper surface of its free edge, by any suitable means such as screws 3%, a strap iron member 345 which is disposed adjacent that edge of the apron which is adjacent the perforated drum 321. This strap iron member 355 has fixedly mount d, on the center thereof, a handle 346 which is secured on the same by screws 341. It is thus possible to manually raise the free end of the apron 340 without the necessity of raising the entire cover 342. This apron 340 closes the remainder of the opening between the covers 332 and 342. Both of the beater covers 225 and 342 have suitable handles 350 secured to opposed side.. thereof, by any suitable means such as screws 35!, to assist in raising and lowering the beater covers 225 and 342.

As the shredded fibers pass beneath the perforated drum 327 and off the upper end of the conveyor 250, they are sealed by, and pass between superposed intermeshing fluted rolls 354 and 355. The bottom fluted roll 355 has, disposed therebelow, the upper edge of a curved pan 356 which is identical to the pan 233 and the air gap between the lowermost roll 355 and the upper end of the pan 356 is closed by a leather apron 351 the upper edge of which engages the fluted roll 355 and is secured to the upper edge of the curved pan 356. It may be observed, in Figures 1 and 1A, that the leather apron 340 is disposed at a slight angle so that it passes adjacent the upper edge of the fluted roll 353 where it is secured to the lower front end of the beater drum cover 342. Disposed rearwardly and closely adjacent the lower portion of the second beater drum I 01 is a baille plate 240 which is identical to the baflle plate 240, and associated parts, and thus the same reference characters apply with the prime notation added.

In this instance, the downwardly projecting plate 245' is welded at its upper edge adjacent the front edge of the horizontally disposed transverse plate !5. The cover 342 which surmounts the second beater drum I0! is hingedly mounted, as at 350, adjacent the front edge of the transversely disposed plate I5. The cover 342 also has secured to the rear edge of the same, a leather apron 36E, by any suitable means such as screws 362. The leather apron 35! is similar to the leather apron 235 at the beater drum cover 225. The apron 3H is also secured, by any suitable means such as screws 365, to the upper surface of the horizontally disposed plate l5.

The upper fluted roll 354, adjacent the upper end of the apron conveyor 25!], is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction, as observed in Figure '7, by engagement with the lower fluted roll 355. Both of these fluted rolls 354 and 355 are rotatabiy mounted in superposed bearing blocks 361, at the right-hand side of the machine, disposed in the bearing block housing 265, and the fluted rolls 354 and 355 are rotatably moun ed, at their left-hand ends, in superposed bearing blocks 368 which are mounted in the bearing block housing 264. The lower fiuted roll 355 has,

fixedly mounted thereon, a gear wheel 31L at i s left-hand end in Figure 3A. which is fixedly mounted on a restricted shaft portion 312 of the fluted roll 355. This gear wheel 3" engages a pinion 314 disposed therebelow (Figure 4--A) which has integral therewith a miter gear 315.

The pinion 314 and the miter gear 315 are rotatably mounted on a stub shaft 316 (Fi ure which is fixedly mounted in a bearing block 311 and this bearing block 311 is secured to the vertical side member II. by any suitable means such as screws 318. The shaft 316 has, fixedly mounted at its outer end, a bearing block 380 (Figures 3A and 4A) in which one end of the longitudinallv extending shaft 14 is rotata ly mounted. The miter gear 315 engages a miter ear which is fixedly mounted on the shaft 14, adjacent to the bearing block 316 and thus rotation of the shaft 14 transmits rotation to the lower fluted roll 355.

The right-hand end of the roller 355, as observed in Figure 2--A, has a restricted portion 384 on which a sprocket wheel 385 is fixedly mounted and this sprocket wheel 385 has, mounted thereon, the upper end of a sprocket chain 386 which extends downwardly and is mounted on a sprocket wheel 381 ;(Figure' 3A). This sprocket wheel 381 is rotatably mounted on a stub shaft 390 which extends inwardly to the vertical side frame member Ill and is fixedly mounted in a bearing block 392 secured to the vertical side frame member ID, by a suitable means such as screws 393. This sprocket wheel 381 has integral therewith a sprocket wheel 394 which is also rotatably mounted on the stub shaft 390 and this sprocket wheel 394 has mounted thereon a sprocket chain 395 which extends upwardly and is mounted at its upper end on the sprocket wheel 21I (Figure -2,A). The sprocket wheel 21l is fixedly mounted on the-transverse shaft 26l and thus drives the angularly disposed apron conveyor 250 and also transmits rotation to the cylindrical screen 3|0 heretofore described.

The uppermost bearing blocks 361 and 368, in which opposed ends of the fiuted roll 354 are mounted, are engaged ,at their upper ends by compression springs 400 and 40!, respectively, and these compression springs 400 and 4M extend upwardly and their upper ends engage horizontally disposed blocks 402 and 403, respectively, secured to the upper ends of the bearing block housings 265 and 264, respectively, by any suitable means such as screws 404 and 405, respectively. These compression springs 400 and 4M thus urge the upper fluted roll 354 downwardly towards the lower fluted roll 355.

, As the shredded cotton waste W leaves the second heater drum I01 it passes onto an inclined discharge conveyor broadly designated at 4| 0. Adjacent the lower end of this discharge conveyor M0, and disposed between the same and the discharge end of the curved pan 356, is a leather apron 4 which is similar to the leather apron 252 secured to the pan 233. This leather apron 4 is secured to the lower surface of the curved pan 356, by any suitable means such as screws 412. The discharge conveyor 0 is of similar construction to the feed conveyor 25, and the intermediate conveyor 250, and this discharge conveyor 0 is mounted at its lower end on pulleys 4I5 which are fixedly mounted on a transverse shaft 416. This shaft M6 is rotatably mounted at the right-hand side of the machine in a bearing block 4" fixedly secured to the vertical side frame member l0, by any suitable means such as screws 4| 8 (Figures 2-A and 3-A). The other, or left-hand end, of the shaft M6 is rotatably mounted in a bearing block 420 secured to the vertical side frame member H, by any suitable means such as screws 42!. The shaft 4|6 extends outwardly beyond the bearing block 420 at the left-hand side of the machine and has, fixedly mounted thereon, sprocket wheels 423 and 424. The sprocket wheel 424 has mounted thereon the lower end of an inclined sprocket chain 425 which extends toward the feed end of the machine and upwardly and is mounted on a sprocket wheel 426 fixedly mounted on the transverse shaft 312, which is integral with the upper fluted roll 354.

The rotation of the secondbeater drum I01 creates a blast of air which blows the shredded fibres upwardly above the discharge conveyor 0 and these fibres are blown against the periphery of the second cylindrical screen 430 which is identical to the first cylindrical screen 3l0. This cylindrical screen 430 serves to lay the fibres on the conveyor 410 and is generally constructed of spaced dowel rods 43! which extend lengthwise of the cylindrical screen 430 and these dowel rods 43l are secured in spaced relation to each other by spaced wires 432, each of which extends from one of the dowel rods 43l to the next, is wound once about the same and then extends tothe next dowel rod 43! and so on around the entire periphery of the cylindrical screen 430. The dowel rods 43l are welded or soldered at their opposite ends to disks 433, or in the instance of the first cylindrical screen 3l0, they are fixedly mounted on the transverse shaft 300. The cylindrical screen 430 is surrounded by an imperforate cover 436 which is hinged, as at 431, adjacent the discharge end of the horizontally disposed plate [5.

The shaft 434, on which the cylindrical screen 430 is fixedly mounted, extends outwardly at the left-hand side of the machine and is rotatably mounted in a bearing block 438 secured, b any suitable means such as screws 439, to the vertical 6 side frame member I I. Inasmuch as the shaft 434 is driven in a similar manner to the shaft 300, of

the first cylindrical screen 3l0, like reference characters will apply. to the like parts with the prime notation added.

The left-hand end of the shaft 434 has, fixedly mounted thereon, a helical gear 304' which meshes with a helical pinion 305 (Figure 3-A). The pinion 305' is fixedly mounted on a hub portion of a sprocket wheel 215 which is confined on a shaft 216' by a collar 280' which is fixedly mounted on one end of the shaft 216' and the sprocket wheel 215 with the pinion 305' is rotatably mounted on the stub shaft 216'. The stub shaft 216 has a restricted portion 285 (Figure 3-A), which is threaded, integral therewith which extends through a slot in a bracket 290 identical to the slot 261 shown in Figure 9 and is secured to the bracket 290' by a nut 286. This bracket 290 extends inwardly toward the vertical side frame member II, in a manner identical to that of the bracket 290 (Figure 9) and has a downwardly projecting portion 29l' integral therewith which is secured by a bolt 294' to the vertical side frame member II and this bolt 294 penetrates an adjustment slot 293' in the downwardly extending portion 29l' of the bracket 298'.

The bracket 298 has an upwardly extending portion 295' integral therewith the upper end of which is loosely mounted on the shaft 434 and engages the outer surface of the bearing block 438. The sprocket wheel 288' has mounted thereon the upper end of an inclined sprocket chain 448 which extends downwardly and is mounted at its lower end on the sprocket wheel 423. Thus, the

in a counterclockwise direction, as observed in Figure 7.

The shaft 834 projects outwardly through the vertical side frame member l8 and is rotatably mounted in a bearing block 445 which is secured, by any suitable means such as screws 448, to the vertical side frame member 88. The shaft 338 extends outwardly from the bearing block 885 and has fixedly mounted thereon a sprocket wheel 441 which has mounted thereon a sprocket chain 388 which extends to the right in Figure 3--A, and is mounted on a sprocket wheel 458 fixedly mounted on a transverse shaft 45f rotatably mounted in bearing blocks 452 and 453 disposed on and secured to the vertical side frame members l8 and II respectively, by any suitable means such as screws 455. Fixedly mounted on the transverse shaft 45!, and dis-posed between the vertical side frame members l8 and II is a cylindrical perforated drum 451 which is identical to the cylindrical perforated drum 321, an

enlarged view of which is shown in Figure 8.

This cylindrical drum 451 has spaced perforations 458 in the periphery thereof and the blast of air from the second beater drum I81 blows the shredded fibres up against the periphery of the cylindrical screen 438 and this air escapes into the atmosphere through the erforat ons 458 in the drum 451, since the drum 451 fills the 'opening between the cover 438 and the conveyor 418. It is thus seen that rotation of the shaft 434, in the manner heretofore described transmits rotation to the drum 451.

The shredded fibres are-then discharged from the machine along the conveyor M8 in the form of a second web W-2 (Figures '1 and 8) and this conveyor M8 is mounted at its upper end on pulleys 462 wh ch are fixedly mounted on a transverse shaft 483 which extends through slots 464 in the vertical side frame members I8 and H.

The transverse shaft 463 extends outwardly from each side of the vertical side frame members 58 and H and is rotatably mounted in bearing blocks 481 which are identical to the bearing blocks 32 at the feed end of the machine and are secured to the vertical side frame members l8 and M, by any suitable means such as screws 468. I

It is thus seen that a substantially air tight passageway is formed the entire length of the machine from the time the waste W or pieces of roving R pass through the feed rollers l4! and l 88 beneath the beater drum 288 until such time as the shredded fibres pass outwardly from between the perforated drum 451 and the upper reach of the discharge conveyor 4|8. Of course, there is an opening in which perforated drum 321 is mounted to allow escape of air from the first'unit.

The vertical side frame members 18 and II are spanned at the feed end of the machine by a vertically disposed plate 415 which is bent inwardly at each end and'is secured, by any suitable means such as screws 416, to the vertical side frame members l8 and II. This plate 415 has hingedly secured thereto a vertically disposed sheet metal cover 488 which depends from the plate 615 and extends to the bottom edges of the vertical side frame members It) and II and is turned inwardly in the same manner as the plate 615 disposed thereabove and has slots 48! disposed adjacent the lower end thereof which are adapted to pass beneath the heads of screws 482 when the sheet metal cover 488 is in closed position. This sheet metal cover 488 has a handle 483 secured thereon, by any suitable means such as screws 488, to assist in opening and closing the sheet metal cover 488.

The discharge end of the machine also has spanning the distance between the vertical side frame members 68 and ii a sheet metal plate 485 which is turned inwardly at each end and is secured, by any suitable means such as screws 488, to the vertical side frame members 58 and H. The plate 485 has hingedly mounted thereon and depending therefrom a vertically disposed cover 38i which is turned inwardly at each side and also has slots 488 adjacent its lower end which are penetrated by screws 498 when the cover 481 is in closed position and these screws 498 threadably penetrate the vertical side frame members l8 and l I. The vertically disposed cover 481 has, secured thereto, by any suitable means such as screws 49 i, a handle 492 to assist in opening and closing the cover 481. The vertical side frame members I8 and I I have hand holes 588 and 5M and 582 and 583 respectively therethrough for access to the angularly disposed apron conveyors 258 and 4H] for cleaning the machine.

The access openings 588, 58!, 582 and 583 have swin'gable covers 584 to 581, respectively, which are pivotally mounted adjacent ieir upper edges on studs M8 to 5|3, respectively, and these studs 5|8 to 513- inclusive are threadably imbedded in the vertical side frame members l8 and II.

It is manifest that this machine may be utilized in the shredding of all kinds of fibrous materials, although the description relates to cotton waste and pieces of roving. A particular feature of this machine is the revolving perforated drums 321 and 451 which not only serve to assist in laying the shredded fibres on the respective conveyors 258 and M8, but also assist the respective cylindrical screens 3l8 and 438 in gradually dropping the air currents, created by the respective beater drums 288 and H81, to atmospheric pressure by directing the preponderance of air through the cylindrical screens and then through the revolving perforated drums thereby eliminating most of the dust and lint that normally accumulates as a result of this operation on other types of waste machines.

The shredded material is then in form for blending or feeding directly to picking machines.

While two complete units have been shown and described, it is evident that a single unit comprising beater 288, conveyor 258, screen 3l8 and perforated drum 321 could be used alone, or, one or more additional units each comprising a beater, conveyor, screen and perforated drum could be employed for various purposes.

In the drawings and specification, there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the inc vention, and although specific terms are employed, they'are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

We claim:

1. In a machine for processing waste fibres, a compartment having a revolving beater therein and means for feeding waste fibres into said compartment to be engaged by said beater, an endless conveyor disposed below and rearwardly of the beater inclined upwardly and onto which the fibres are adapted to be delivered by the beater, a cylindrical screen mounted rearwardly of the beater and having its periphery adjacent to but spaced from the endless conveyor and against which the fibres are blown by the air currents created by said beater, an imperforate cover for said screen, the top of the compartment having a transverse opening immediately to the rear of the screen, a cylindrical perforated drum disposed in said opening and contacting said endless conveyor and allowing for the escape of air through said perforated drum and through the top of the machine, the screen being adapted to de- "liver fibers lodged thereagainst onto the endless conveyor.

2. In a structure according to claim 1, a second beater housing disposed rearwardly of the discharge end of the said endless conveyor and into which the fibres are adapted to be delivered, a

- cover member hingedly secured at one edge to the second beater housing and having its other end resting on the perforated drum, a beater mounted in the second beater casing and having an endless conveyor disposed below and rearwardly thereof .onto which the fibres processed by the second beater are adapted to be deflected, a second revolving screen disposed rearwardly of the beater and above the endless conveyor and having its periphery slightly spaced from the endless conveyor, an imperforate cover for the second screen and a second perforated drum mounted for rotation rearwardly of the second named screen and contacting the second endless belt and filling the space between the second named screen and the endless belt to retard air currents passing out of the compartment in which the second endless belt is mounted.

3. In a structure according to claim 1, means for imparting rotation to the beater, means for imparting rotation to the screen, means for imparting rotation to the. perforated drum, and means for imparting movement to the endless belt.

4. In a machine for processing waste fibres, a compartment having a rotary beater mounted therein and into which the fibres are fed for processing, said compartment being substantially air tight, an endless conveyor forming the bot tom of said compartment for conveying fibres away from the beater, a, rotary perforated screen mounted rearwardly of the beater and having its periphery adjacent to but not in contact with the endless conveyor and against which the fibres are blown by the air currents created by the revolutions of the beater, a rotary perforated drum disposed rearwardly of the screen and closing the space between the screen and the discharge end of the endless conveyor and through which air pressure is vented to the exterior of the machine adjacent the discharge end of the endless conveyor.

- 5. In a structure according to claim 4, a second beater housing having a rotary beater therein into which the fibres are fed from the discharge end of the endless conveyor and a flexible fiap member having one end secured to the. 'second beater housing and having its free edge riding on the perforated drum.

6. In a waste machine comprising an elongated compartment having a pair of spaced beater casings therein in which revolving heaters are mounted, means for conveying waste fibres into the first beater casing, an endless conveyor for conveying the fibres from the first heater to the second beater casing, a perforated revolving screen disposed immediately above the first conveyor and against which the loose fibres from the first beater housing are delivered to form the same into a web and depositing it onto the endless conveyor, a driven perforated drum disposed above and in contact with the endless conveyor and slightly spaced from the revolving screen for compacting the web of fibres onto the delivery end of the endless conveyor, a closure flap hingedly secured to the second beater housing and resting on the perforated drum for closing the openings between the second beater casing and the perforated drum, the conveyor being adapted to deliver a web of fibres into the second beater casing, a second conveyor disposed below and rearwardly of the second beater casing and having a revolving perforated screen disposed above and in close proximit thereto and against which the fibres in the second beater housing are thrown to be compacted and deposited onto the second conveyor, the second conveyor extending substantially out of the, discharge end of the machine and a second perforated rotary drum disposed rearwardly of the second revolving screen and slightly spaced; therefrom and in contact with the second conveyor for closing the air space between the second revolving screen and the second conveyor for allowing a limited amount of air to escape through the perforated drum, and the second perforated drum serving to compact the fibres onto the second conveyor to thereby deliver a web of fibres from the discharge end of the second conveyor.

7. In a waste machine comprising a compartment closed at both ends and on its sides and having its top also closed, a rotary beater mounted for rotation in the front end of the compartment and means for feeding fibres to said heater, an endless conveyor disposed below and rearwardly of the beater for receiving the fibres therefrom and conveying them rearwardly of the compartment, a revolving screen disposed immediately below the top of the compartment, and against which the fibres are blown by the revolutions of the beater and which serves to compact the fibres and deposit them onto the endless conveyor, the top of the compartment having an opening disposed immediately rearwardly of the revolving screen, a revolving perforated drum mounted in said opening and contacting the endless conveyor and being slightly spaced from the revolving screen and serving to retard air currents generated by the revolution of the beater passing out of the opening in the top'of the compartment.

8. In a structure according to claim 7, a second beater housing having a revolving beater therein and a flap hingedly secured to the second beater housing and riding on the perforated cylinder for closing the remainder of the opening between the second beater housing and the perforated drum, the second beater housing receiving the fibres discharged from the endless conveyor.

17 9. In a waste machine having beater means for shredding waste fibre material, a compartment disposed below and communicating with said heater, an endless conveyor forming a movable bottom for said compartment, and a cylindrical rotatable screen-forming the rear wall of said compartment and slightly spaced from said conveyor, said compartment otherwise being substantially air tight to channel air currents from said beater to said screen, an imperforate cover for said screen, a second cylindrical screen disposed rearwardly of the first-named screen and contacting the endless conveyor and having its upper portion exposed to outside atmosphere to 18 allow escape or air from the compartment there through. CHARLIE W. BARNES. JOHN W. COLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITE: STATES PATENTS 

